Bakersfield has earned another dubious distinction from a national publication,  this time when it comes to cell phones. Time Magazine's "Techland" blog has ranked Bakersfield as the worst place in America for cell phone service. The problem can be traced to Bakersfield's growth spurt from 2001 to 2011 when the city added 40 percent of its population. According to the blog, that meant "a rapid increase in signal-hungry phones." The blog also listed AT&T as the worst local carrier and Sprint as the best local carrier.